Meta's Move Has Minimal Impact On Local Online Businesses

KUALA LUMPUR, May 1 (Bernama) -- The decision made by Meta Platforms Inc. (Meta), owner of social media platforms Facebook and Instagram, will only have a minimal impact on Malaysian online entrepreneurs who are actively running their businesses via the platforms.

On Thursday, Meta announced that businesses in the Asia Pacific will no longer be able to host their shop on their Facebook or Instagram page or use product tagging in posts beginning Aug 10, 2023, with the exception of those in seven markets, namely Australia, South Korea, Taiwan, India, Japan, Indonesia and Thailand.

e-Commerce consulting company, Kartel Digital Sdn Bhd’s chief executive officer, Hafiz Azman said the announcement by Meta suggested that all businesses registered in Malaysia will not be able to use their Facebook and Instagram Shop features to conduct sales transactions.

However, most online business entrepreneurs in Malaysia do not utilise the Facebook or Instagram Shop features due to the platforms’ strict policies, he said.

“The majority of local online sellers find it difficult to comply with the complex technicality to host their shop on Facebook and Instagram as the transactions are managed and processed by Meta and not directly by the sellers.

“However, they can still use the Meta advertising platform to draw traffic, awareness and sales to their preferred platforms such as their own websites and other social media platforms,” he said to Bernama during a recent interview.

Hafiz noted that local sellers would also still have access to access to facilities offered by social media and tech giants like Tiktok and Google, adding that Twitter has also helped to boost businesses in Malaysia.

He stressed that online businesses, especially those who promote their products and services on social media, should also have an official website to help them divert the traffic and increase the public’s awareness of their brand.

“Having their own website or online platform gives them more freedom to control their business and secure the market’s trust in their products and services.

“Social media is just a means to drive the traffic toward their business; by setting up their own website or online platform, they will survive and thrive," he added.

Kartel Digital is a Certified Shopify Partner, training aspiring entrepreneurs and brands to set up and scale their businesses using e-commerce tech and digital marketing.

-- BERNAMA